Pagan Pride Day

PRESS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS RESOURCES

 

Crucial tips for the interview

From Cec, except for those parts that are from Jerrie Hildebrand

Overall focus for 2002

I'm told by several people in the know that this is a conservative year for the media. Because of that, I'm going to ask for coordinators to go conservative in their presentations to the media, NOT to hide anything, or pretend anything, but simply to provide less distractions so our actual message is actually heard. Please dress conservatively if you are going to be on TV. Don't overdo makeup or hairstyles. Think 'elegant' or 'classy' as your end result.

Also, because of the current climate, the recommended focus for this year is that Pagans are local, in your own community, in your own backyard. We've been told not to expect too much national media this year, but lots of local newspapers.

Practical tips for speaking with the media

Avoid jargon if you can; try to use interfaith language. This is again not to pretend to be something we aren't, but to use language that lets the listener actually hear our message, not get confused or turned aside by the words we're using. We want to educate them to our language - but we have to use their language first.

Here's an example: to you, the sentence, "We did ritual to scry between the worlds and call the dead" may make perfect sense. To the listener unfamiliar with Paganism, you at best spouted meaningless gobbledygook, and at worst scared them with terms like "ritual" and "call the dead." Instead, try this: "We held a religious service where we prepared for the coming year and honored our ancestors." Those are terms that anyone can understand, and you didn't push anyone's buttons, either.

Some sample words to avoid and their replacements:

Things not to mention:

Obviously, if you're asked a direct question, answer it to your best judgement. I'm asking you not to bring these things up voluntarily.

Ethics are a big issue this year, with all the corporate scandals. Emphasize that we have them! But you might not want to use the words of the Rede or the Threefold Law as a description, because they can be misunderstood/misquoted, and require long explanations. Try these soundbites instead:

Tips for before and during the interview from Jerrie Hildebrand, a professional Pagan publicist

If you can, before the interview, ask for a list of questions from the interviewer. Check out the newspaper or station that's interviewing you - I bet they have a web site. Read other interviews the reporter has done, or listen to clips of their shows to have a sense of how they interview others.

Practice being interviewed. Sit or stand in front of a mirror if visual media is being used. Tape your voice. Listen to how you sound. Have someone video tape you. Ask an objective person to listen and watch you. Be open to their input and don't set yourself up with someone who will just agree that you are doing fine. Look for the critique. It is good training for you.

Protect yourself and know your boundaries. Decide in advance any questions that are off limits or too invasive for you: for example, where you work, where you live, your children's names. Know how you are not willing to be treated in an interview and know what you'll do if those lines are crossed - you have every right to end an interview if the interviewer is being rude or invasive. If you can think of what is important to you in how you are treated and how you will project yourself you will have created your boundaries.

Know what subjects are your strengths to speak about - though this is the Pagan Pride Project, you may want to mostly discuss Wicca if that's all you really know, which is fine as long as you say "This is one of many Pagan religions, the one I happen to practice." Know your weaker areas, and decide whether you want to respond to questions about them, or whether there are things you can research in advance.

Tape your actual interview. This way you can be clear of what you did say if misprints or misquotes happen. Remember though that good editors will paraphrase what you have to say. Just be clear the spirit of what you said is what you are listening or watching for.

Know if there are other resources open to being contacted in your area that you can also refer a reporter to.

Answer questions with short brief statements. These are more difficult to edit for radio and television. They are harder to embellish. Short answers can be written faster and easier too.

Stay on topic also. Don't let yourself be led off of the topic you were invited to speak about. Bring the reporter back to their original question if they lead you from it.

Tips for having photographers present at a ritual, again from Jerrie Hildebrand.

Question whether it might be better to let the photographers experience the ritual first and then go back to restage the shots. Give an outline of the ritual to the reporter with recommended places to shoot photos if you decide to do them during the ritual.

While looking at imaging and images for interviews and articles one needs to also consider the group and individual needs for privacy. Are there people in the circle who are not public or out? Ways to make sure they are not photographed: Ribbons tied to clothing, stickers, and other tools like these can be used. They should be brightly colored and very visible to the camera lenses. Another way to care for these folks is to stand them in a specific portion of the circle and let the photographer know they cannot photograph this area.

Ask parents to be clear about whether they want their children to be photographed. As photographs become public, you open your child's life up to the experience of being outed to the community they play in and to the ridicule that can accompany that.

Photographers need to ask for participants to sign photo release forms in order to publish their photos. Parents need to sign these for their underage children. Make sure these forms are for -only the article they are writing.- Often, photographers will use the photos for one article and sell the rights for use to other publications or stock photo houses. A photo could show up in another publication symbolizing something totally different than originally intended. Remember too with the wonder of today's technical advances in imaging and photography, photos can be altered and changed. This too can take away from the intended presentation. Make sure there is a written agreement about this. Be sure to have the name and address of the photographer for your records. Get copies of anything signed. (I'll see if I can get our lawyer to draft a sample release form.)

Good soundbites to use

Pagans live in a sacred manner because we live in a sacred world. We treat that world, and all the creatures in it, with reverence and respect because everything is an embodiment of the Divine. (Phyllis Curott, but we're welcome to use it.)

The Pagan Pride Project is a global organization whose mission is to reduce discrimination against Pagan religions.

If you know your own neighbors and co-workers practice Pagan religions, it's harder to be prejudiced against them.

It's hard to tell how many Pagans there are because there is no central authority. Barnes and Nobles estimates that the total Pagan book buying audience is 10 million. The City University of New York survey indicates that there are probably half a million in the US alone.

Finally, remember you can only represent yourself, not all Pagans; but you may also be the only Pagan some people ever see. This sounds contradictory, but is absolutely essential to keep in mind when speaking to the media. Make it clear that there are a wide diversity of practices within Paganism, and you are only speaking from your own experiences. On the other hand, by being public you may be some person's only experience of a Pagan, so if you come off belligerent or like a real flake, you've messed things up for all Pagans that person meets. So be careful, and strike that balance.